Wanted

Chapter 12

"We had him," Castiel mutters. "He was right there. How did we lose him?"

"That's not on us," Hannah reminds him. "We did the best we could — you did the best you could. If the NYPD couldn't keep up, that's on them, not you."

"What if it's not?" Castiel asks. "What if I was wrong? Maybe he really was hiding in a closet. Maybe I should've told them to check the houses instead of the back doors."

"They did check," Hannah reminds him. "When watching the back doors wasn't panning out, they checked inside, and if he was there, the cops didn't find him."

"Well, he couldn't have disappeared," Castiel says. "He was there. We know that. Either he hid really well, or he left quicker than we thought. If I could've kept him distracted just a few minutes longer —"

"Then there would've been an extra few minutes before he told you they were checking the wrong house," Hannah says. "There's nothing you could have done. He's just too good."

"No one's too good," Castiel says. "We're just too bad — I'm just too bad."

"Cas, they gave you this case for a reason," Hannah says. "You're the best we've got. And we've gotten close twice now. We're getting better. If nothing else, trial and error —"

"Will make him smarter," Castiel interrupts. "He's learning, just like us. He might be learning quicker than us."

"He's also getting more reckless, though," Hannah says. "He likes you."

Castiel groans. "Don't remind me."

"We can use that," Hannah continues. "He's messy when you're around. This is a whole new game, Castiel. We're getting somewhere now. Just give it a few more tries."

"You mean a few more deaths," Castiel says. "'Cause someone's gonna die every time we miss him."

"And sometimes, that's what we gotta deal with."